The New Bells
by KitKatWei
Summary: Isabella Swan has never existed. The person pretending to be shy, clumsy little Bella, is really the complete polar opposite - Isabelle Lightwood, beautiful, agile, and dangerous, sent to Forks to investigate the new species of vampires. What happens when her mission is over? What will Edward do to get the Bella he loves back? And when the Volturi/Victoria come into the picture?
1. Chapter 1

**KitKat is back, with my new fanfic! Please R&amp;R, but no flames, please. Okay, this chapter is really short, but this is just the intro. Once the story picks up, so will the chapters! Hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 1

First of all, I never wanted to go on that mission. Second of all, I never really loved that Cullen boy. Third of all, I was never the weak girl Isabella Swan had been.

My name is Isabelle Lightwood, not Isabella Swan. I'm dating Simon Lewis, not Edward Cullen. Most importantly, I'm a Shadowhunter, not a simple mundie.

This is how my version of the story went.

* * *

"Isabelle, Mom needs to see you in the library," Alec told me as he walked into the training room.

"Now?" I complained, gritting my teeth as I slashed at the dummy with my whip. "I'm in the middle of training!"

"Izzy, we went to the demon realms and back," Alec commented. "A little break from your training isn't going to be the end of the world."

"Fine, fine," I grumbled, wrapping my whip around my wrist again. "Can I at least take a shower first?"

"You'd better," Alec agreed. "Mom says she's not meeting you until you do."

* * *

"Hey, Mom," I said as I walked into the library. "You rang?"

I was all cleaned up; my hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, my makeup perfectly applied, my whip coiled around my arm, and wearing my clean set of Shadowhunter gear. Isabelle Lightwood, ready for action.

"Isabelle," Mom greeted. "I need your help."

"For what?" I asked.

"Izzy, we need you to go on a mission."

I raised my eyebrow. "Why not ask Jace? You know he's got more experience than me."

"Yes, but we need someone more... discreet," Mom said for lack of a better word. "And you know Jace isn't really that. "

"What about Alec?" I wondered. "The Angel knows he would be much more discreet than yours truly."

"Yes, but he's going on his trip with Magnus soon, and I don't want to ruin that," Mom informed me.

"Mom, this is their ninth trip," I pointed out, "I think they could afford to cancel it."

"I want you, okay?" Mom declared. "Just you. And by the way you're acting, it seems to me that you don't want to go."

"Fine, what's this mission you're talking about?" I sighed, giving in.

"We need you to go to Forks, Washington," Mom informed me. "There's been a reporting of strange demonic activity. It looks like there's a new species of vampires there, according to our informant. We need you to go pose as the police chief's daughter, Isabella Swan, better known as Bella, to make sure that this clan of vampires isn't harming the mundanes. Magnus has agreed to help disguise you and alter Chief Swan's memory."

"I have no choice in the matter, do I," I said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"No, because you're our best chance at finding out about this new species. We need you, Isabelle."

I liked being needed.

* * *

I sighed, while thinking about all the information Mom had given me. Most of it had proved helpful, but did I really have to act as Edward Cullen's love interest? Ugh. I missed Simon already.

I remembered our passionate farewell and nearly blushed. Luckily, I caught myself just in time. _Isabelle Lightwood does _not_ blush,_ I scolded myself. I sighed again.

"Something wrong, Bells?"

I looked over at Charlie, chief of the police in Forks, driving me through town in his police cruiser. True to his word, Magnus had manipulated quite a lot of memories so that Charlie really did think he had a daughter. The whole town now believed his ridiculous story. Renee and Phil, however, were really just made up people.

I shook my head and looked down at myself glumly. I hated how I looked right now, and I had to stay like this for who knows how long. My stringy brown hair was completely unstyled and my brown eyes were so ordinary, unlike my normal eyes. And my Marks! I couldn't see them, and I was so used to seeing them that every time I looked at my arm, expecting to see black lines crossing over them and instead saw nothing, I felt panicky for a moment. Great.

When we arrived at the house and Charlie showed me my red truck, I feigned enthusiasm. Bella Swan was supposed to be simple-minded, yeah?

My room was pretty tiny, compared to what I was used to at the Institute, but, again, fake enthusiasm. Charlie seemed really pleased.

He left me to my own devices after awhile, for which I was thankful. I really needed to unpack.

I opened my "dangerous" suitcase first. It was chock full of extra knives, swords, whoops, seraph blades, medical supplies, and a lot of other important Shadowhunter necessities. I stored all of them in a hidden shelf in the wall over the bed.

The rest of my belongings I put away normally. When I finished, I collapsed on my bed. Not that I was tired, but I wanted a break. Already, I missed Jace and Clary and Alec. And Simon. By the Angel, I missed Simon so much that it hurt.

This was going to be a long mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**KitKat in the house, along with - you guessed it - a new chapter! Everyone, if you're a fan of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, go read my other fanfic, where Nico di Angelo goes to Hogwarts. I've written a lot more on that one than on this! So go check it out if you're interested, please.**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

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Chapter 2

My first day at school. Oh, joy.

I think Jace is rubbing off on me too much, what with the sarcasm and all. Oh well.

I flung open the truck door and jumped down, pretending to stumble. Ugh, I hated being clumsy. It felt so against my nature.

All the students were staring at me, and I couldn't blame them. I mean, I did look pretty hideous. Thank Raziel that this wasn't my normal appearance.

Class that day was pretty boring. I made some new "friends", if that's what you'd call them. For me, I don't consider someone a friend until you've risked your life with them many times. But that's besides the point.

Jessica Stanley and Angela Weber were both pretty nice, but I immediately hated Lauren Mallory the minute I set eyes on her. She had that arrogant look about her, but it was more like an I'm-so-much-better-than-everyone way rather than Jace's look-at-me-because-I-am-totally-awesome way. I wanted to pulverize her, but I restrained myself. That would definitely not help my mission.

When I saw the Cullens, I wasn't too impressed. Everyone gushed about how hot they were, but truthfully? They just looked like a bunch of model rejects that drank too much coffee and slept way too little. Well, I guess they do sleep too little. I mean, they don't sleep at all, do they? You can't tell me that's normal.

Needless to say, I had to act the opposite of how I felt and pretend that I was infatuated with Edward. Gross.

In Biology a couple days later, I discovered that I needed to sit beside Edward. Great. Yep, Jace was really going to my head.

I saw him stiffen and slide away. That meant my blood was much more appetizing to him than a normal mundie's. As it should, considering I have the blood of the Angel, but I was in more danger of being attacked.

The teacher rambled on and on, and when the bell finally rang, Edward was gone before I knew it. Oh, look, I had already chased off the target of my supposed affections.

The next couple weeks were the same. Edward went missing for a few days, probably because of me, but I had to act like I minded, instead of acting relieved. When he came back, I was sorely disappointed. I had hoped he would've stayed away longer. Well, I suppose the world isn't a wish-granting factory.**(Virtual cookies if you can tell me where that quote came from! Besides you, KK/ravenclawshadowhuter13, because you obviously know. XD)**

When Edward began to start getting attracted to me, I groaned mentally. Oh no, I thought, it was starting.

Our _amazing_ relationship immediately _blossomed beautifully_. Note sarcasm. Edward, not only informed me that he was a vampire (not that I didn't know that already), but he would also drive me to school and such, just like a normal boyfriend would do.

What a normal boyfriend would _not_ do, on the other hand, is stare at you while you're sleeping. I mean, really, that just screams, "STALKER!" to me. Not to mention how overprotective he is, with all his, "Bella, you're too fragile," and his, "Don't worry, love, I'll protect you," crap. I'm a Shadowhunter, I could take out his entire family by myself. Not that he knew that, of course.

Honestly, it's as if he thinks all humans are like card towers!

He was always confused as to why he couldn't read my mind. Obviously I couldn't tell him it was because I was a Shadowhunter, so I acted just as confused. I hated every moment of it.

I never felt the love that I told him I felt. Instead, I would feel disgust whenever he so much as touched my hands gently. I forced myself to imagine that this was Simon kissing me, not Edward, but it was difficult.

Edward thought my hesitation to touch him was fear for my own life, however. Ha, as if I'd be afraid of one measly Downworlder.

Speaking of which, I discovered that Edward's species descended from a mixture of werewolf, fey, and mostly vampire.

They had maybe one or two werewolf ancestors, so that their condition was transmitted through bites, and their fey ancestors caused them to be extraordinarily beautiful and have special talents, like Alice's psychic abilities. But they did mostly have vampire forefathers, thus their thirst for blood and the like.

When James showed up with Victoria and Laurent, and began hunting me, I had to pretend to be scared and worried. Pff, as if they could lay a finger on me. But unfortunately, the Clave had not yet called me back, so I had to allow myself to get hurt, just to protect my cover. Trust me, I hated it so much.

I hated pretending to be helpless, key word on pretending. Every single time Edward and his crazy family came near, I had to resist the urge to slash them to bits with my whip.

At least I had found out that their weakness was fire. That would be useful, if we ever had to fight them.

The family was so full of themselves, always thinking that nobody could hurt them and that their hard skin would hold against any weapon, and that no one would dare try to attack them. All the while, I was gathering information about them from the inside.

I knew that seraph blades and electrum could hurt them, but I never said anything. Why would I? I don't care for them.

When Jasper tried to attack me on my fake eighteenth birthday, I nearly pulled out my whip, but Edward, stupid fool as he is, shoved me into a bunch of glass objects.

I always knew he was an idiot, but this really proved it. Who pushes someone they love into a glass so that they would fall and hurt themselves?! That's right, a complete blockhead.

As Edward led me into the woods three days later, I was on the alert. He had been distant ever since my "birthday", and I knew he was now going to tell me why.

I never expected he was going to leave me.

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**So what about it? Does Izzy actually like Edward? Or does she mean something else? I'll try to update soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, it's KitKat, and I've got with me a new chapter! Please R&amp;R, which, if you didn't know, means Read &amp; Review, so do just that! No flames, though.**

**Carry on!**

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Chapter 3

"Bella, we're leaving."

I froze. Wait, did I hear that right? Did I dare hope?

"Why now? Another year-" I began, but he cut me off.

"Bella, it's time," Edward said. "How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all? Carlisle can barely pass for thirty, and he's already claiming thirty-three. We'd have to start over soon, regardless."

I stared at him. He stared back coldly, but I knew it was forced. I knew he really did love this simple, plain version of me, however much I hated it.

Suddenly, I understood.

"When you say 'we'..." I whispered.

"I mean my family and myself." Each word was separate and distinct.

I tried not to cheer and leap for joy. I still had to maintain my cover. The Cullens could not know of Shadowhunters until the Clave agreed, so I still had to play the heartbroken girl Bella would no doubt have been.

Okay," I said. "I'll come with you."

"Bella, you can't. Where we're going... it's not the right place for you."

"Where you are is the right place for me."

"I'm no good for you, Bella."

"Don't be ridiculous." I made myself sound like I was pleading. "You're the very best part of my life."

"My world is not for you," Edward said grimly.

"What happened with Jasper - that was nothing, Edward, nothing!"

The words felt like acid on my tongue. I might've been worried that if I argued too hard he might actually stay, but I could see that his mind was made up, so I persisted.

"You're right," Edward agreed, and, for a second, I was worried I _had_ argued too hard, but then he said, "It was what was to be expected," and I breathed a mental sigh of relief.

"You promised! In Phoenix, you promised you would stay-"

"As long as that was best for you," he reminded me.

"No! I don't care about myself! I'm already yours, Edward. My heart, my soul, everything. I don't want them without you! I don't even want to live without you!"

Okay, maybe I was laying it on a little too thick.

Edward took a deep breath. "Bella, I don't want you to come with me."

"You don't want me?" I repeated slowly, pretending to be hurt and confused.

"No."

"Well, that changes things." Oops, not enough emotion there. I sounded too calm and collected, which I was definitely not supposed to be.

"Of course, I'll always remember you... in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm... _tired_ of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I'm not human. I've let this go on for far too long, and I'm sorry for that, because _I don't love you._ I think you've always known that somewhere."

I resisted a snort. It was so obvious he was lying. You want to see real lying? I thought. Then look at how I fooled you.

But I still needed to keep fooling him.

"Don't." My voice was perfect, a mix between pain and confusion. "Don't do this."

_Do this, do this, do this,_ my mind chanted. I agreed wholeheartedly.

"You're not good for me, Bella," Edward sighed, looking at me directly. I could see pain for what he was giving up in his eyes, although the rest of his face was blank, and I hope he saw pain, falsely created of course, in mine.

"If... if that's what you want." My voice was so soft, so full of raw agony, that I almost believed I didn't want Edward to leave. Almost.

He nodded.

If I had really been Bella Swan, I would've broken down right then and there. But I wasn't. And I didn't love Edward. Heck, I didn't even really like him, not a single bit.

"I would like to ask one favor, if that's not too much," Edward said.

I felt rage, so strong I wasn't sure how I held myself back from attacking him. How dare he ask for a favor when he was ditching me like this? But I did hold myself back, and simply told him, "Anything."

"Don't do anything reckless or stupid," he ordered. "Do you understand me?"

I got his hidden meaning: don't get into danger.

I almost laughed out loud, which would've almost certainly ruined my cover. I would return to being a Shadowhunter after this. Did he really think I would stay out of trouble?

But he meant Bella, not Izzy. So I nodded.

After all, after this is all over and done, Bella Swan will be no more than a memory. And tell me, how can a memory do anything reckless?

Exactly. It can't.

"I'm thinking of Charlie, of course," he said coolly. "He needs you. Take care of yourself - for him."

He was lying again. He really cared about me, and this Charlie excuse was really pathetic, even for a mere mundie that Bella supposedly was. And besides, Charlie won't even remember that he has a daughter. No one will remember anything about me or Bella.

"I will," I whispered.

"Good," he said. "And I'll make you a promise in return. I promise that this will be the last time that you see me. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I never existed."

What a stupid promise to make. Both of us knew that he wouldn't be able to resist coming back, because he loved Bella so much, but when he came back, I thought with satisfaction, he'll find no trace of the girl he loves. A fitting punishment for the ridiculous way he handled things.

He smiled at me. "Don't worry, you're human. Your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind."

If only he knew how wrong he was.

"What about your memories?"

I couldn't wait for him to leave, so that I could stop pretending to be concerned for him.

"Well, I won't forget. But my kind, we're very easily distracted."

He took a step away. "I suppose that's all, then. We won't bother you again."

"Alice isn't coming back," I realized.

"No, they're all gone," Edward said, shaking his head. "I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."

"Alice is gone?" I repeated, blankly.

"She wanted to say goodbye, but I convinced her that a clean break is better for you."

The_ nerve_ of that boy. Convincing everyone to leave without a single word. I couldn't help thinking that Simon was so much better.

I felt a small pang at hearing that I would never see Alice again, though. Out of all the Cullens, I liked her best. She reminded me a bit of myself.

"Goodbye, Bella," Edward said softly.

"Wait!" I forced myself to reach for him, to pretend.

"Take care of yourself," Edward murmured, taking hold of my arms and giving me a kiss on the forehead. I made myself not wince, bit I closed my eyes.

And then he was gone, nothing more than just an unnatural breeze.

I waited for a moment, just to make sure that he was really gone. I couldn't resist a shriek of excitement, and then I began to skip back to Charlie's house.

I grabbed my phone and called Jia Penhallow, the Consul, and reported what had happened. She was surprised to hear me call before my weekly report, but pleased when she heard what had happened.

"Very well, Isabelle," Jia said. "That means your mission is over. You may go back to your Institute now."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, and then we hung up. I immediately started to dial a new number.

I hadn't heard his voice in months. By Raziel, I missed him so much. Had he changed? Did he still like me?

"Hello?"

His voice was like a piece of heaven.

"Simon," I sighed, content in just hearing him talk. "Guess who it is?"

"Izzy! I haven't talked to you in forever!"

"I know," I agreed. "Since before I went on my mission."

"But you're calling now, so is your mission over?" Simon guessed. "Can you come home?"

He sounded so hopeful, I had to laugh. "Yes," I giggled. "It's over."

"YAY!" he cheered. "Clary, Jace, Magnus, Alec, Izzy's coming home!"

I heard more cheering in the background.

"Are you at the Institute?"

"Yup," Simon confirmed. "Do you need anything else?"

"Yes, can you put Magnus on the phone?"

"Sure, no problem," Simon said, and then I heard Magnus.

"Isabelle," he greeted. "Shall I come over now?"

"Yes, please do," I answered.

"On it," he answered. "See you in a sec."

"Bye."

The line went dead. I threw myself in a frenzy, trying to get ready. Finally, I could dress in something pretty!

I put on a spaghetti strap dress that looked ridiculous on Bella but I knew would look great on me, not to mention five inch heeled boots that I stored two knives in. My ruby pendant went around my neck, and my whip was, as usual, wrapped around my wrist. My hair I would leave, seeing as Magnus was going to change it anyways.

Just as I thought that, a portal appeared, and Magnus stepped out. The swirling door stayed open, though.

"Hello, dear Isabelle," Magnus said. "I must say, it's a delight to see you again."

"Not until you change me back," I groaned. "Please, Magnus, I can't stand to look like this for another minute! Please change me back!"

"Well, considering you said please, something that Blondie would never have done," Magnus said lightly. He then proceeded to wave his hand at me.

I rushed to the mirror and gave a squeal of delight. I was back to being normal, gorgeous Isabelle Lightwood.

Then I frowned at the portal. "Isn't it supposed to close by now?"

"It's one of Clary's," Magnus informed me. That was all I needed to hear.

Magnus also helped me pack, sending all of my stuff into my suitcases with another sweep of his hand, including my Shadowhunter stash.

"Now let's get you home, darling!" Magnus exclaimed. He sent all of my bags through the portal first, then gestured for me to go before him, saying he still needed to alter the people's memories. So I did.

And was immediately engulfed in hugs from every side.

Everyone quickly broke apart, and then Simon came forward. My breath caught in my throat. He looked even more amazing than I remembered. And had he grown taller?

Yes, I know what you're thinking: Isabelle Lightwood is head over heels in love! I never thought I'd see the day!

Hey, don't judge me. I _am_ human, even if I'm also Nephilim.

He didn't say anything to me, just simply looked at me for a moment, then leaned down and kissed me.

I didn't remember Magnus coming through the portal and walking to Alec's side, I didn't notice everyone smile at us, I didn't see the portal closing, and I didn't hear Church meowing loudly beside us. Call me a lousy Shadowhunter, but all that mattered in that moment was Simon and I.

When we finally broke apart, Jace whistled. Way to ruin the moment, brother. I shot him a glare, and everyone laughed, including Simon. After a moment, I started laughing too.

It was good to be home.


	4. Chapter 4

**KitKat is back, and guess what came with her! That's right, a new chapter! If you like it, please type up something and then slap that review button, because it really makes me happy. By the way, love you, KK/ravenclawshadowhunter13! **

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Chapter 4

Life was going amazing, until_ he_ showed up again.

Simon and I were having a great relationship, as were Clary and Jace, and Magnus and Alec. Simon completed his Shadowhunter training and we had a small celebration, just the group of us that went to the demon realms and Magnus. Of course, I was never jealous of Clary and Simon's relationship, as they were _parabatai_, and couldn't have any romantic feelings for each other.

I was happy.

But, of course, _he_ had to show up again. And this time, I wasn't expecting him.

It all started when Magnus disguised me as Bella again, much to my displeasure, and we went to the Pandemonium. I lured the demon into the storeroom with my innocent looks, but the demon escaped its bonds and attacked us. And so there we were, fighting, like a normal group of Shadowhunters.

This is what happened on the Cullens' side of things, as was transcribed to me later.

* * *

Edward had apparently fallen into a state of depression, and spent his life sitting and staring into nowhere. Serves him right, the little ditcher.

He only moved when he needed to drink, and even then, he didn't go out to hunt. Carlisle had to use his doctor credentials to buy blood bags for him. Yuck.

One day, Alice and Jasper were playing chess with the rest of their family watching, while he, again, stared off into space. And then Edward talked, much to the surprise of his family.

"Alice, please, could you look into Bella's future?"

I hate him so much. First he leaves me without another word, and then he asks his sister to look into my future? Argh, the nerve of that boy.

Alice looked up, nodded, and then began to concentrate.

"I can't find her," Alice mumbled, frustrated.

"Try harder," Edward urged.

Suddenly Edward and Alice both froze.

Apparently this was the vision.

_I led the demon into the storeroom, looking like Bella Swan, and then Jace tied him up. Clary, Simon, and Alec stood on either side of him, and I walked over to stand beside them._

_"So what's your name? Or do you even have a name, demon?" I taunted._

_It glared at me, then suddenly changed form. With its new claws, it sliced through the ropes and lunged at us. But I had my whip ready and flicked it around his ankles, pulling him off balance._

_Jace shouted, "Cassiel!" and stabbed at the demon with his seraph blade. Alec and Simon shot arrows while Clary dove forward with her blade, Heosphoros. _

_The last thing Alice saw was me, in Bella form, getting a nasty cut on my forearm._

Both Alice and Edward jumped up. "Bella's in trouble!" Edward yelled. "I have to go save her!"

Yea, maybe if you hadn't left her she wouldn't be in trouble.

Carlisle sighed. "Very well, Edward. But we will all go with you."

"Yes," Esme agreed. "Bella is part of our family, after all."

"When is Bella not in trouble?" Rosalie grumbled, but she followed her family all the same.

They said goodbye to Tanya and her family, then departed.

They spent some time running to Forks from Alaska, and when they came back to Forks, Edward immediately went to Charlie's house.

When Charlie opened the door, he immediately asked, "Is Bella home?"

Charlie looked at him. "Edward Cullen! I thought your family had left town."

"We did, but we came back," Edward replied impatiently. "Is Bella home?"

Charlie frowned. "Bella? Who's Bella?"

"Your daughter, Isabella Swan!"

Charlie looked at Edward like he was insane. "I don't have a daughter. Edward, are you feeling okay?"

The look on Edward's face must have been priceless. I wish I had been there.

"B-b-but Bella!" Edward stuttered. "The child you had with Renee, remember?"

"Renee?" Now Charlie looked utterly confused. "Who the hell is Renee? Alright, Edward, this is going way too far. I'll give you two minutes to clear out of my driveway before I arrest you."

Edward could read Charlie's mind, and he was confused when there really were no memories of me. Good job, Magnus.

When he returned to his house, all of his family members were worried.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Carlisle asked when he saw Edward's face. "Did you find Bella?"

"No," Edward said. "But nobody really cares about her now."

"What do you mean?" Alice demanded. "How can Charlie not care about his own daughter?"

"That's just the point," he said wearily, running a hand through his hair. "Charlie doesn't remember that he has a daughter."

"That's not possible!" Emmett exclaimed. "Does he have amnesia or something?"

"If he does, so does the rest of Forks," Edward sighed.

"What do you mean?" Jasper wondered.

"I mean," Edward explained. "That no one else in Forks remembers Bella either. Believe me, I checked. Jessica Stanley, Angela Weber, Eric Yorkie, Tyler Crowley, even stinking Mike Newton. Nobody remembers her. I read their minds, too, when I mentioned her name."

"No," Esme whispered. "How will we find her now?"

"We'll do it manually," Carlisle decided. "Bella is part of the family, and we have to find her and help her.

"Alright, Jasper, Alice, take the north-east quarter of America. Rosalie, Emmett, take the north-west. Edward, Esme, go to the south-east. And I'll take the south-west. Everyone got it?"

"And if she's not in the US?" Rosalie asked dryly.

"Then we'll go to Canada and Mexico," Carlisle declared firmly. "Keep in touch with your phones, and if you catch Bella's scent, let us all know.

"See you soon, and hopefully with Bella."

* * *

Edward and Esme were walking around town, sniffing around. Literally. They couldn't catch a single whiff of my scent, though, because I had never been there.

Then Edward's phone rang.

He pulled it out and took the call. "Hello?"

"Edward, bring Esme and get over here." It was Alice. "We're in New York."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Alice sighed. "We found her."


	5. Chapter 5

**KitKat has a new chapter for all you lovely readers! And here it is, ready for you to read. Constructive criticism is appreciated, and encouragement is too, but please, no flames.**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 5

Everyone in the Cullen family had raced over to New York, where Alice had caught scents of me everywhere. Evidently Magnus hadn't changed my scent along with my appearance, so they recognized it immediately.

"Where is she?" Edward asked, frustrated, when they hadn't found me for a week. "We should've found her by now! She might be dead!"

"She's not, Edward," Alice soothed. "If she was, I would know. I can feel that much through my visions."

"But you can't understand why all your visions are too blurry to be made sense of," Edward snapped.

Well, it's because I'm back to being a full-fledged Shadowhunter now. I have my Marks back, and that means Alice can't see my future and Jasper can't mess with my emotions, which is good.

Alice flinched, as if she had been slapped. "I miss her just as much as you do," Alice murmured. "She was my sister."

She turned away from Edward, who was looking slightly ashamed, and caught sight of a cafe. "I'm gonna go take a break," she muttered, strolling away.

"Alice, wait!" Edward called, but she didn't turn back, so their entire family ran after her. They slid into the booth where Alice was already seated.

"I'm sorry, Alice," Edward apologized. "I wasn't thinking. I know you would've seen something by now if you could."

Suddenly he stiffened, and turned in his seat slowly, to look across the cafe at a dark-haired, dark-eyed girl with a faint scar on her arm, who was sitting at a table alone. He sniffed the air once, which confirmed his suspicions.

"Bella."

* * *

Simon and I had just spent a night demon hunting with Jace, Clary, and Alec, and we were both extremely tired of hearing Jace and Alec bicker back and forth. Sure, my brother might be the most mature of us at times, but with Jace, that maturity dissolves regularly.

Clary had gone home after Jocelyn had called and demanded her to, leaving Simon and me to fend for ourselves against the maniacs. So Simon and I decided to go to a nearby cafe, Java Kava, in the morning, just to get away from all the noise.

I ordered a small latte, and Simon decided to get a medium frappe. We talked for a long time, and finished our drinks after awhile, and Simon left to get new ones.

I was staring out the window at the streets, which were filled with people, seeing as how it was already noon, when I felt it. An unnaturally cold breeze brushed against my neck, and I spun around, my hand on my bracelet/whip. Unfortunately, my suspicions were proved correct.

The Cullens had found me.

Simon wasn't anywhere in sight, as he had probably gone to the washroom, so I was on my own. I decided to play dumb.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly, smiling at them. "Do you need something?"

"Bella," Edward breathed, looking me up and down. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean, 'what happened to me'?" I asked, offended. "Who are you people?"

"You look so... different," Edward finished. "Not like Bella anymore."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe it's because I'm not whoever this Bella is you're talking about?" I suggested dryly.

"That can't be," Edward argued.

"Why not?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you smell exactly the same," Edward explained. "No two humans ever smell exactly the same. And I can't read your mind."

"First of all, how can you smell me from you're standing?" I asked, pretending to look confused. "Second of all, of course you can't read my mind. That would be abnormal if you could! Those two points hardly mean that I'm whoever this Bella is."

"Bella, stop acting dumb," Edward sighed. "Although I'm hoping you can go back to what you looked like before. This new flashy look is going to attract too many boys and Carlisle doesn't want me to kill them."

"Are you my long-lost brother or something?" I giggled. "You're so protective."

"No, I'm not your brother," Edward stated slowly. "I'm your _boyfriend_."

I froze. "Since when?" I demanded. "And why would I want to go out with the likes of you?"

"Bella, love, stop this charade," Edward pleaded. "I know you understand what I'm talking about."

"Why should I?" I inquired.

"Because I love you, Bella."

That made me jerk out of my act. How dare he tell me that he loved me after the way he abandoned me! I stood up out of anger and stormed out the door. Hopefully Simon would be able to find me.

I stomped into an alleyway, my hand still on my bracelet. I heard the Cullens calling my name behind me, but I didn't stop. I didn't want to.

"Bella, please!" Edward cried.

"Wait, Bella!" Alice yelled.

Their screaming annoyed me to no end. Finally, I got so pissed that I stopped and wheeled around, glaring at them. They all screeched to a stop, startled.

"Bella, love," Edward breathed, coming towards me with his arms wide open, like he was expecting me to run into his arms as soon as I could. Idiot.

"Don't come near me," I growled, backing up a couple steps. Luckily, the alleyway led out into a crowded road behind me, so I could escape if I wanted to.

"You know we don't mean you any harm," Esme tried.

"No, I don't know," I snapped. "For all I know, you might just want to kidnap me and take me back to Forks."

"But you can't stay here, love," Edward said. "This isn't your home."

I let out a barking laugh. "Are you so sure, Cullen? Trust me, you don't know the first thing about me. You don't even know my name."

"Bella, what are you talking about?" Edward asked, looking at me worriedly. "Your name is Isabella Marie Swan. And how can this be your home? You've never lived here."

"On the contrary," I laughed. "I've lived in New York all my life, up until I left for Forks. And my name isn't Isabella, or Swan either, for that matter."

"Are you feeling okay, Bella?" Carlisle said, coming forward. I growled and walked backwards a couple more steps. I didn't want to snap just because of how they were nagging me.

"I love you, Bella," Edward begged. "Come back to me. I'll protect you."

I snapped.

"I. Don't. Need. Your. Stinking. Protection!" I snarled, pulling my whip off my arm and slashing it in their faces in a wide horizontal arc.

"Izzy?" I relaxed a tiny bit when I heard Simon behind me.

Edward leaned forward and began to leap in front of him, but I slashed my whip across his path so that he had no choice but to rejoin his family.

"Bella, he could be dangerous!" Edward protested.

"More dangerous than you?" I retorted. "I think not, vampire."

"'Bella'? Why does he call you that, Izzy?" Simon questioned.

"That was my alias when I was in Forks," I answered, shrugging. "I just can't seem to get it into his head that that's not my real name."

"Alias?" Edward repeated. "Bella, what made you think that? And why does that... boy call you Izzy?" I glared at him.

"The Clave deemed my mission completed," I spat. "I am no longer required to hang out with lousy Downworlders like you. Stele, Simon?" I held out my hand and he pressed the tool into it. I quickly drew a speed and agility rune, then handed the stele back for Simon to do the same.

"What?" Edward said, his voice barely above a whisper. "What is that, Bella?"

"Translation," Simon clarified. "She means goodbye, bloodsuckers."

With that, we took off, and I must say, we left the Cullens in the dust. They didn't have a chance, what with us running on rooftops and leaping from street to street just like true Shadowhunters. Before long, we were back at the Institute.

"You know," I said thoughtfully as we made our way into the cathedral, "You used to be a bloodsucker, too."

Simon shrugged. "I know," he replied casually. "But I was way more awesome than those guys."

I laughed and leaned over to peck him on the cheek. "I'd have to agree."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'M SO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG WAIT I WAS SO BUSY PLEASE DON'T KILL ME D':**

**Ok, I am _really, really, really sorry!_ School things piled up and all, but now school's out and summer's here, so I should be able to write more. Now, before you all go crazy, enjoy my new chapter! **

* * *

Chapter 6

After I left them, the Cullens began to trace my scent, following us to the Institute. Edward led the way, growling and snarling the whole way.

Jasper, who could sense _exactly_ how pissed Edward was, gave his brother a sympathetic glance. "Edward, calm down. At least you know she's safe and hasn't been killed yet, and you know what a miracle that is, considering this is Bella we're talking about."

Edward glared at him. "I'll calm down when Bella's right next to me where I can see and protect her, especially from that stupid idiot human who seems to think that Bella's _his._ Honestly, I think he's worse than Mike Newton."

Honestly, I want to pulverize you, Edward, just for that comment.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "That's only because you can't read his mind, Edward. I think he's actually kind of cute, for a human, of course. Bella could certainly do worse than him."

Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence, vampire.

Edward swung around to glare at her. "Just because you've always hated Bella doesn't mean you have to make snide comments about her love life," he snapped. "And Bella's mine. No one else's. Just. _Mine._"

Wow, possessive much? Considering he was the one who left Bella, or me, technically, he wasn't very smart when it came to relationships.

"I'll say whatever I want to say about her, thank you very much," Rosalie retorted, meeting his gaze coolly.

Edward gnashed his teeth and turned back around, his temper flaring.

Alice followed them, rubbing her temples and concentrating. Finally, she flung up her arms in frustration. "I can't sense her at all!" she exclaimed indignantly. "How is this possible? I've always been able to see humans! I've always been able to see _her!_"

"Maybe she's not human. Well, not completely human, anyways."

A female voice sounded from above them. All the vampires looked up, astonished that someone could sneak up on them without them noticing. Egotistical bloodsuckers.

Jace and Clary stood on the roof, looking down at the Cullens. "So these are the new vampires Izzy was sent to scout," Jace remarked, cocking his head. "Not much of a challenge, if you ask me. Of course, I've faced many demons a thousand times more deadly than you folks, so you'll excuse me if I'm not impressed."

"Who are you?" Edward demanded. "And how do you know my Bella?"

_Grrr._ I am not _your_ Bella, you stupid dolt.

Clary's eyes hardened. "First of all, she is not _your _Bella," she snapped. Thank you, Clary. "Second of all, her name is not _Bella._ And third of all, she never wants to see you again, so get that into your thick skull!"

With that, Clary and Jace ran off, flying away over the roofs. Edward let out what he must have thought was a threatening snarl, but really sounded more like a dog choking, and took off after them. He lost sight of them soon enough, but caught their scent and traced them into a warehouse, just in time to see them step into a portal and disappear.

He lunged at the wall but there was nothing left. The Cullens watched as he emanated a long stream of curses, fuming, and turned around, stalking away to follow my scent trail once again.

* * *

After Jace and Clary stepped through the portal into the Institute, they raced to my room as fast as they could.

"Izzy!" Clary shouted, pounding on my door. "Izzy, get out of there! We've got news that you're not going to like!"

I swung open the door lazily, annoyed. "Let me guess, the Cullens are following me. _Again._"

Jace nodded. "Yea, but they've got really bad senses."

I smirked. "Of course they do." I looked up at the ceiling, then groaned. "Fine, I better go keep an eye on them. Stupid bloodsuckers."

* * *

Eventually they did make it to the Institute. Being of Downworlder blood, they could immediately see the cathedral in its full glory, and I could hear their astonished gasps from where I was hiding.

"Whoa," Emmett whistled. "What did Bella come here for? She's not religious, is she?"

Edward frowned. "I don't think so. At least, she never told me she was."

"But a lot of things Bella's told you might not be true, either," Rosalie muttered.

At least one of them was getting the memo.

Edward just shot her an annoyed glance and started up the church steps.

At the door, Edward tried to pull it open. It didn't budge. He pulled harder. Nothing happened. Even when he yanked with all his strength, the door remained steadfast and sturdy.

"How is it possible that a door could be so strong?" he growled, shaking the doors.

"How is it possible that you don't get what I'm trying to tell you?" I snapped, stepping out into view, my whip in one hand.

Th vampires spun around and looked at the weapon I was holding, unimpressed.

"Bella, love, what are you doing with that?" Edward asked, stepping forward.

"I'm _trying_ to get across a message," I snapped, flicking my whip threateningly in case he tried to approach me even more.

"What message?" he said stupidly.

I snorted. "_You're not wanted here!_"

Edward flinched a little, then relaxed. "You don't mean that, Bella. Put the weapon down, love, before you hurt yourself, and come with us. We're your family. We love you. _I_ love you." He began walking towards me.

Growling at his idiotic persistence, I decided to teach him a lesson and show him, once and for all, that Isabelle Lightwood was not to be messed with. I waited until he was close enough, then snapped my hand out, flicking the whip around his wrist.

With a smooth jerk, I pulled his hand clean off.


	7. Chapter 7

**KitKat is back! And obviously, I've brought with me a new chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7

Edward stared at his stump of an arm, then let out a painful screech. I rolled my eyes as the vampires finally realized that my whip could harm them. How could anyone be so stupidly oblivious?

Emmett gaped at me, open mouthed, and Jasper's eyes switched frantically between what was left of Edward's arm and my weapon. Esme covered her mouth with her hands, while Carlisle put his arm around her, eyes never wavering from his injured son. Alice just stood there, shaking her head, like she didn't want to believe what she had just witnessed. And Rosalie glared at me, standing there with one hand on her cocked hip.

I smirked right back at her, knowing that since now I was back in my natural body, I was way more gorgeous than her, or any other vampire, for that matter.

Edward's hand, which lay on the ground, twitched, and began inching its way towards his owner. I watched dispassionately, making no move to stop the healing process. I wasn't _that _cruel. I just wanted to prove my point.

His hand had reattached itself by now, but he was still crying tearlessly, sounding like a banshee on steroids.

"Why, Bella? Why?" he sobbed, clutching his healed hand to his chest.

"Because you wouldn't listen any other way," I informed him coldly. "Learned your lesson yet, or do you want me to teach you some more?"

He shot me one last, tortured glance, and spun around and fled, like a dog with its tail between its legs. His family followed, after a couple last sad looks at me, which I steadfastly ignored, and soon I was alone. Just like I wanted.

I turned and made my way into the Institute, thinking with satisfaction that that was the last I would see of them.

I was wrong.

* * *

Two weeks later, I was t"Simon, concentrate," I chided as he almost dropped the knife he was supposed to be throwing.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," he chanted. "Just tired."

I looked at him disapprovingly. "Did you stay up all night watching that TV show again?"

"It's not just a TV show!" he protested. "It's Doctor Who, the _ultimate_ TV show!" He withered under my stern gaze. "But yeah."

I tried to hold up my annoyed facade, but it quickly dropped at the adorable look on Simon's face. "Alright, alright," I laughed, "Go get some sleep after you clean up this place. And no more staying up so late, got it?"

"Not even for Doctor Who?" Simon pleaded.

I shot him a glare.

"Ugh, fine," Simon grumbled.

I smirked, and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Before I knew it, Simon caught me and gave me another. I laughed, and extracted myself from his grasp.

"I'll see you later," I called over my shoulder as I exited the training room. "Make sure you put those knives back in the right place!"

I heard Simon sigh as the door swung shut behind me.

I was about to head to the library to find Alec when the doorbell rang. I frowned. Any Shadowhunter would know how to get in by themselves, and Mom hadn't told me we were expecting any Downworlder visitors, so who could it be?

I made my way to the entrance and cautiously opened the door just a crack, my whip at the ready. Seeing who it was, I sucked in a breath and let the door swing open wider.

"Alice, what are you doing here?" I asked, a little bit of warmth in my tone now that Edward wasn't around.

Alice looked at me, a mournful look on her tiny face. "Please, Bella, you need to help," she begged.

"First of all, it's Isabelle, or Izzy, not Bella," I corrected. "Second of you, you've got a whole family of vampires and you come running to me of all people?"

"You're the only one who can help," Alice said desperately.

"What is it?" I huffed, beginning to get a bad feeling.

"It's Edward," she explained. "He-"

"If you think I'm just going to go running back into his arms," I interrupted, rolling my eyes, "you might want to think again, because that's never happening. I don't love him. Never have, never will."

"No, no, nothing like that," Alice reassured me, shaking her head. "It's just, after that... incident two weeks ago, he hasn't hunted, he hasn't spoken, he hasn't even moved. Then last night he just got up and left the house without a word to anyone. And I haven't told any of my family this, but I can see what he wants to do and, well..."

"What? What's he going to do?"

Alice took a deep breath. "He's going to Italy. To the Volturi."

I was lost for a moment. I opened my mouth to ask about the significance of his action, then I suddenly understood.

"He wants to die," I realized.

Alice let out a whimper and nodded.

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" I inquired.

Alice gave me a pleading look. "Talk to him. Talk him out of this. He won't listen to anyone but you, he'll do anything you want him to, I know it. Please, come with me to Italy and just try. I'm begging you, Bella, even if you don't love him. Help me. And if not for me, then for my entire family. Carlisle's tried so hard to be a good vampire, he'll feel so guilty if Edward goes through with this, and Esme will be absolutely heartbroken. If he dies, my whole family's going to be devastated for centuries. No matter how annoying I know he can be sometimes... he's still my brother."

Alice's eyes were full of emotion. Pain, desperation... and even fear. Fear of _me. _She must really love her brother if she would come running to me for help, despite how scared I could see she was.

_Just like how you love Alec and Jace. _

The unbidden thought popped up in my mind, uninvited, but true. I knew that I'd do anything to protect them. Hell, I would brave the demon realms all over again, just by myself, and fall at the feet of Sebastian and _beg_ if only there was a slim chance that my brothers might be saved.

I sighed, my mind made up even without my permission.

"Give me five minutes," I reluctantly informed Alice.

Guess I was going to Italy.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi y'all! I hope you're all enjoying this story, as much as I'm enjoying writing it. And when you finish reading this chapter, type up a little note and slap that review button, and I might just give you a shout out. **

**Speaking of that, shout outs to ravenclawshadowhunter13, for being the absolute best parabatai anyone could ever have, and tyken, for the awesome reviews! **

* * *

Chapter 8

I crossed my legs and relaxed in my seat as the plane took flight. I checked to make sure that all my Shadowhunter weapons and tools, glamoured from the mundanes and metal detectors, were in place and ready to use at a moment's notice.

Seraph blade on hip? Check. Whip on wrist? Check. Dagger in sleeve? Check. Knife in boot? Check. Double knife scabbard on waist? Check. Pocketknife in arm pocket? Check. Witchlight in pocket? Check. Stele in jacket? Check.

Alice sat in the seat next to the window, while Simon sat in the seat next to the aisle, and I sat between the two of them. Alice's eyes were closed, and she was murmuring quietly to herself. I guessed that she was looking for a vision, so I didn't disturb her.

I decided to catch up on some well-deserved beauty sleep, so I rested my head on Simon's shoulder. I could feel him grinning as he gave me an affectionate glance then continued to read his comic book. I remembered how he had insisted he come with me and fell asleep smiling.

* * *

_"Izzy! Wait up!" _

_I froze and cursed inwardly, then turned with a smile plastered on my face. I had already spoken to Mom about my little trip, but had hoped to get away before Simon noticed my absence. _

_Unfortunately, he had._

_His expression shifted as he took in what I was wearing: typical Shadowhunter gear, stocked with weapons. "Are you going out?"_

_I looked away. "Um, see, I-" _

_I glanced up and faltered in my words. Simon's worried expression had my heart thumping in my chest, and I knew with absolute certainty that I could never lie to Simon, not when he was looking so damn cute._

_I sighed. "Alice Cullen showed up five minutes ago. She says Edward's going to Italy, to the Volturi, the "royalty" of the vampire world as it is, because he wants to die. She asked me to help, and, well... yeah." _

_Simon furrowed his brow. "Will you be safe?"_

_"I'm a _Shadowhunter_, Simon," I laughed. "We don't live safe lives." _

_Simon regarded me with concern for a couple moments, then suddenly declared, "I'm coming with you." _

_"What?"_

_"I'm coming with you," he repeated. "And don't say I can't, because I'm a Shadowhunter too now, even if I haven't been one for as long as you have. I'm going wherever you are. No arguments."_

_I paused, about to argue, then relented. "Fine. The Cullens have too much money anyways. One more plane ticket isn't going to be the end of the world for them. Hurry up. Alice is waiting."_

* * *

"Wake up, Izzy," Simon whispered in my ear. "We're here."

I lifted my head and blinked away my sleepiness. I rolled my shoulders and neck, stretching out the muscles and smoothing out the cramps.

I looked over at Alice, whose eyes were still closed. I reached over and shook her.

"Up, vampire," I ordered. "We have to go rescue your brother."

Alice opened her eyes, immediately alert, then sighed. "First thing to do: find a car to take us to Volterra."

"By 'find a car', you mean, 'steal a car', am I right?" Simon asked carefully.

Alice gave him a grim smile.

* * *

"In, you two!" Alice called from the bright yellow Porsche that screamed to a stop a few feet in front of Simon and I. We hurried over and slid into the backseat together. I had barely shut the door when Alice was off, weaving through the cars in front of her with ease.

"Fastest car you could find?" I guessed.

"Yes," Alice replied shortly.

"Do you _see_ anything right now?" I asked.

"There's something going on," Alice informed us. "Some kind of festival or something. The streets are full of people and red flags, and everyone seems to be celebrating something. Hm... What's the date today?"

"The nineteenth," Simon offered.

Alice snorted. "That's ironic. It's Saint Marcus Day."

"Why is it ironic?" I wondered.

"Edward's going to break the rules in order to get them to kill him, since they refused him when he asked them outright," Alice explained quickly. "He's planning on stepping into the sunlight at noon, and you know what's going to happen when he does that."

Hello, glittering skin, goodbye, Edward Cullen.

"_If _he does that," Simon corrected. "We can stop him."

"The Volturi aren't going to be very pleased with Edward if he messes things up for them, especially today of all days, are they?" I remarked dryly. At Alice's somber shake of head, I rolled my eyes. "Well, guess that's what we're here for."

Simon smirked. "Yep, to save a suicidal bloodsucker."

I smiled despite what we were doing and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice's mouth tighten in the rearview mirror, but I ignored her. She knew I never loved Edward.

But still, here I was, rushing through Italy to save him.

For Alice. For Jasper. For Emmett. For Esme. For Carlisle.

And, unfortunately, for Rosalie.

I leaned forward. "Tell me what I have to do when we get there."

"Pull him back before he can step out in the sun," Alice instructed. "Simon, you can help with that. Just make sure Be- Isabelle, sorry, has enough time to persuade Edward to give this whole self-destructive thing up."

Simon and I nodded. Sounded easy enough.

"I'm going to get you as close as possible, and then you two will run in the direction that I point you in. I trust you'll be able to run fast enough, seeing as you two have outrun us vampires before."

Simon and I exchanged a glance, then simultaneously pulled out our steles and proceeded to draw agility, heightened speed, and stamina runes on each other. I could see the question in Alice's eyes, but didn't have time to explain as our destination suddenly came into view.

Ancient sienna walls and towers crowned the peak of a steep hill, shining under the burning glare of the sun. I suppose the place was very beautiful, but compared to Idris, this mundane city was nothing.

"Volterra," Alice announced.


	9. Chapter 9

**KitKat is in the house! A new chapter is up, as you can probably see. If not, you're blind, and should not be on this site at all, and would not know what I'm saying. Or typing, whatever. **

**Shout outs to 1xclatoforeverx1, for the amazing review!**

**Now, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9

We began the steep climb, and the road grew congested. As we wound higher, the cars became too close together for Alice to weave insanely between them anymore. We slowed to a crawl behind a little tan Peugeot.

Alice groaned in frustration.

"It's the only way in," I soothed her, even though I hated long lines like this too.

The cars continued to edge forward, one car length at a time. The sun beamed down brilliantly, making it seem already noon, although my internal clock told me it wasn't. Creeping closer towards the city, I could see cars parked by the side of the road with people getting out to walk the rest of the way. I frowned.

We came around a switchback, and I saw for the first time the filled parking lot outside the city wall, and the crowds of people walking through the gates. No one was allowed to drive through.

"Alice," I warned.

"I know," she muttered back. "Listen, B- Isabelle, Simon, you two are going to have to go in alone. You're going to have to run. Just make your way to the Palazzo dei Priori, and keep running. Don't get lost."

"Palazzo dei Priori," Simon repeated.

"The clock tower," I translated.

Alice shot me a surprised glance, like she didn't expect me to know more than one language, then nodded. "I'll go around and try to find a secluded spot somewhere behind the city where I can go over the wall. Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadows there. You have to get him deeper into the alley before he can move into the sun."

"Alright," I said, filing all the information away.

Alice was near the front of the line. A man in a navy blue uniform was directing the flow of traffic, turning the cars away from the full lot. They U-turned and headed back to find a place beside the road. Then it was Alice's turn.

The uniformed man motioned lazily, not paying attention. Alice accelerated, edging around him and heading for the gate. He shouted something at us, but held his ground, waving frantically to keep the next car from following our bad example.

The man at the gate wore a matching uniform. As we approached him, the throngs of tourists passed, crowding the sidewalks, staring curiously at the pushy, flashy Porsche in their way.

The guard stepped into the middle of the street. Alice angled the car carefully before she came to a full stop. The sun beat against my window, and she was in the shadow. She swiftly reached over to the shotgun and grabbed something from her bag.

The guard came around the car with an irritated expression and tapped on her window angrily.

She rolled the window down halfway and proceeded to bribe the man with a thick roll of cash.

Simon snickered as he watched the interaction. He leaned over to breathe in my ear, "Looks like you were right about their money. They're absolutely _loaded_."

I gave him a knowing smirk.

Alice drove into the city, and onto the street. The road was very narrow, cobbled with the same color stones as the faded cinnamon brown buildings that darkened the street with their shade. It felt like an alleyway, but I was fine with that. Alleyways were almost second homes to Shadowhunters.

Alice drove in quick spurts and sudden stops, and the people in the crowd shook their fists at us and said angry words that I will not even begin to mention here. She turned onto a little path that couldn't have been meant for cars, and shocked pedestrians had to squeeze into doorways as we scraped by. We found another street at the end. The buildings were taller here, and they leaned together overhead so that no sunlight touched the pavement, and the trashing red flags on either side nearly met. The crowd was thicker here than anywhere else, so I was ready when Alice stopped the car.

I swung open the door and hopped out, Simon at my heels. Alice opened her mouth, maybe to wish us luck or something, but before she could speak Simon and I were off, ducking through the throng more swiftly than any normal mundane could. Luckily, no one paid us any attention.

I didn't stop to look around, to make sure Simon was keeping up. He was a Shadowhunter, he was trained for this. Besides, we had worked together enough times to be able to somehow sense each other instinctively.

I pushed through the crowd, forcing my way past, but finding myself blocked every couple seconds. I growled a little, impatient.

Simon grabbed my arm. "There's too many," he called over the noise of the people. "We'll have to go on the rooftops."

I sighed in resignation. "You're right," I agreed.

We found a relatively quiet alleyway and swung ourselves up with ease, then began running. It was positively exhilarating, and if I hadn't been racing to save someone's life, I might even have laughed out loud in delight.

As it was, I just concentrated on moving as fast as I could.

The buildings blurred past us as we flew with barely a sound over the streets. By the time the mundies underneath looked up to see the source of the shadows that had just brushed over their heads, Simon and I were already long gone.

I spotted the clock tower. "There!" I called.

Simon nodded, and we quickened our pace.

As we drew nearer to the structure, Simon and I exchanged a glance. In unison we leaped off the roof and landed in the alley next to the Palazzo dei Priori, already dashing off the second our feet touch the cobblestones, towards the figure standing at the end of the street.

Edward.

The clock began to chime.

We sped up, sprinting towards the vampire silently. We approached him without him even realizing, as he was completely drawn up in his thoughts of what he was about to do. By unspoken agreement, Simon and I each reached out to grab one of Edward's arms while he lifted his foot, about to step into the sunlight, and then we yanked him back with all our strength.

Edward landed with a _thump_ in the shadows at our feet, just as the clock finished tolling.


	10. Chapter 10

**KitKat has brought you... *cue drumroll* A NEW CHAPTER! *cue cheers and applause* **

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**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10

Edward stared up at us, a look of plain disbelief and shock written all over his face. Well, actually he was just looking at me.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" he asked, still gaping at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Saving your sorry butt, bloodsucker. And don't thank me or Simon when this is all over, thank your sister. Alice, mind you, not Rosalie. The latter doesn't deserve anything other than a right good slap. And so do you! How can you even _think_ about doing something like this when you have such an amazing family? Are you really that selfish? You little stubborn, annoying brat! Carlisle and Esme would be devastated if you got yourself killed! Did you even _once _think about _them_ instead of yourself? Probably not!"

Edward stared at me, still trying to comprehend what I just said. He made a small noise of incomprehension.

"And I thought you vampires were supposed to be quick," I muttered after a couple more moments of awkward silence.

Edward shook his head, trying to clear his brain. I suppose a century of living must mean the gathering of _some_ cobwebs in his thick skull. No wonder he tried to commit suicide for such a stupid reason.

He got up slowly, and continued to gawk at me. Simon moved to stand protectively beside me, and I smiled at him.

Edward gave an irked huff.

My smile turned a bit sour as I turned to look at him. "Oh, I forgot you two haven't met each other yet," I said. "Or not officially, anyways. Edward, this is Simon Lewis, my boyfriend of three years. Simon, this is Edward Cullen, and I'm pretty sure I told you who he is already."

Edward's face looked pained as Simon placed his arm around my shoulders. I smirked.

Before any of us could make another sound, Edward suddenly spun around, his eyes widening. He stood protectively in front of me, and I noticed the two dark shaped detaching themselves from the gloom of the alley, obviously guards from the Volturi. I snorted, annoyed that _Edward _was trying to protect _me._

"Greetings, gentlemen," Edward said calmly, a stark contrast from his previous mood. "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters."

"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" a smooth voice whispered menacingly.

"I don't believe that will be necessary." Edward's voice was harder now. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."

"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun," the other shadow said in a soothing tone. They were both concealed within smoky gray cloaks that reached to the ground and undulated in the wind. "Let us seek better cover."

"I'll be right behind you," Edward remarked dryly. "Bella, why don't you and... Simon," he spoke the name with great reluctance, "go back to the square and enjoy the festival? I won't be long."

"No, bring the girl and the boy," the first shadow, Felix, leered in a whisper.

"I don't think so." The pretense of civility disappeared. Edward's voice was flat and icy. His weight shifted infinitesimally, and I could see that he was preparing to fight the two members of the Volturi.

I rolled my eyes and shoved my way in front of him. He made a noise of protest, but I shot him a glare, then turned back to the two vampires with a smirk on my face. "Well, I came all this way from the States, I suppose it wouldn't do to miss seeing the most exciting thing in the city, now would it?"

Edward snarled and stepped in front of me again.

"Peace, Edward," the second, more reasonable vampire cautioned. "Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all. It would've been a shame, of course, so we are glad you changed your mind. Now come."

"Certainly," Edward agreed. "But the girl and her companion go free."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," the polite vampire said regretfully. "We do have rules to obey, and besides, the girl _wants_ to come."

"Then _I'm _afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."

"Oh, that's just fine," Felix purred. He crouched, ready to spring at a moment's notice. He was big, tall and thick, just as bulky as Emmett, if not more. I placed my hand on my whip, ready to lash out.

"I suggest you reconsider," Demetri offered. "Aro will be very disappointed."

"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown," Edward shot back.

Felix and Demetri stole closer to toward the mouth of the alley, spreading out slightly so they could come at Edward from two sides. They meant to force him deeper into the alley, to avoid a scene. No reflected light found access to their skin, as they were safe inside their cloaks.

Edward didn't move an inch. Simon and I prepared to draw our weapons.

A faint cough in the shadows of the winding alley drew out attention. All five of us whipped around to stare at the source of the sound.

"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" a lilting voice suggested. "There are ladies present."

Alice flitted delicately to Edward's side, her stance casual. There was no hint of any underlying tension or aggression. She looked so tiny, so fragile, her little arms swinging by her side like a child's, yet Demetri and Felix both straightened up, their cloaks swirling slightly as a gust of wind funneled through the ally. Felix's face soured. Apparently they didn't like even numbers. Cowardly bloodsuckers.

"We're not alone," Alice reminded them.

Demetri glanced over his shoulder. A few yards into the square, a little family, with the two girls in their red dresses, was watching us. The mother was speaking urgently to her husband, her eyes on the six of us. She looked away when Demetri met her gaze. The man walked a few steps farther into the plaza, and tapped one of the red-blazered men on the shoulder.

Demetri shook his head. "Please, Edward, let's be reasonable here," he coaxed. "The girl has already agreed to come with us, so what seems to be the problem?"

"The problem," Edward answered through gritted teeth, stressing every word, "is that the girl doesn't know what she's getting herself into, while I do."

I narrowed my eyes at the back of his head. How _dare_ he act so superior to _me_, a _Shadowhunter?_

Demetri sighed in frustration. "At least let us discuss this more privately."

Six men in red now joined the family as they watched us with anxious expressions.

Edward's teeth came together audibly. "No."

Felix smiled, baring his teeth.

"Enough."

The voice was high and reedy, and it came from behind us. I turned to see a small, dark shape coming towards us. By the way the edges billowed, I knew it would be another one of them. Who else?

The newcomer was as tiny as Alice, with lank, pale brown hair trimmed short. The body under the cloak was slim and androgynous. The wide-eyed, full-lipped face would make a Botticelli angel look like a gargoyle, even allowing for the dull crimson irises.

_Jane._

Edward had told me about her, about her ability to make you feel torturous pain locked in your own mind. She looked so proud, like no one could stand against her. Knowing her powers wouldn't affect me, I stared at her defiantly, though she didn't spare me a second glance.

Felix and Demetri relaxed immediately, stepping back from their offensive positions to blend in again with the shadows of the overhanging walls. They didn't do it as well as we Shadowhunters could, but good enough for a vampire.

Edward snarled. "Jane."

Alice folded her arms across her chest, her expression impassive.

"Follow me," Jane spoke again. She fixed her gaze on Edward while she moved back, as if daring him to disobey.

Edward didn't move.

I sighed, annoyed at him like usual, and decided to take charge.

"Certainly," I agreed, and started after Jane.

"Bella, no-" Edward protested, but I ignored him.

"Izzy, what are you doing?" Simon hissed in my ear, so quietly I knew that even the vampires couldn't have hear what he said.

"Just trust me," I whispered back. I turned to Jane.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Lead the way."


	11. Chapter 11

**Heya, it's KitKat! **

***silence* *crickets chirping* **

**Seriously, what is up with all of you? No reviews?! Please read &amp; review! It'll make my day and get me even more motivated to write, so please, pretty please with a cherry on top, review.**

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Chapter 11

Simon took my hand as we walked after Jane. I could sense Felix and Demetri's surprise at my boldness, and I smirked. More where that came from, bloodsuckers.

"Well, Alice," Edward said conversationally as we walked, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here. After all, you're the only one who could've known what I was up to, and the only one brave enough to approach Bella after... that incident."

"Izzy, not Bella," Alice corrected.

I could almost _feel_ Edward's pain pouring out of him, but I didn't care. If he didn't care enough to think about his family's feelings before he tried to commit suicide, why should I care about him?

I turned my eyes straight ahead, staring intently at the dark shadow, who was taking every step daintily.

We approached a dead end, with an open hole in the ground right before the blank wall blocking the way. Jane had already slid down by the time I drew near.

I didn't hesitate, didn't break pace as I strode towards the wall, ready to slide through the hole.

Edward grabbed my arm. "Bel- Izzy, let me help yo-"

I snatched my arm away and gave him my harshest death glare. "First of all, it's Isabelle to you," I spat. "Second of all, what makes you think I need your help, bloodsucker? Exactly. I don't."

"But Jane's down there alread-"

I turned, ignoring him, and without another word, slid down the hole. The fall was silent and short. The air whipped past me for just half a second, and then I landed in a smooth crouch, then straightened.

It was dim, but not black at the bottom. The light from the hole above provided a faint glow, reflecting wetly the stones under my feet. The light vanished for a second, and then Simon landed almost silently beside me. He put his arm around me, and we made our way after Jane. The four vampires behind us followed after jumping down quietly.

The sound of the heavy grate sliding over the drain hole behind us rang with metallic finality.

I strode along confidently, knowing that with Simon at my side, I could handle any number of bloodsuckers, especially since the superpowers that they relied on so much had no effect on me.

The path beneath our feet continued to slant downward, taking us deeper into the ground. The tunnel was slowly turning dark gray instead of black, and long trails of ebony moisture seeped down the gray stones, like they were bleeding ink.

At the end of the tunnel was a grate. The iron bars were rusting, but were as thick as my arm. A small door made of thinner, interlaced bars was standing open. We ducked through and hurried on to a larger, brighter stone room. The grille slammed shut with a _clang_, followed by the snap of a lock. On the other side of the long room was a low, heavy wooden door. It was very thick, as I could tell because it stood open.

We walked through, into a brightly lit, unremarkable hallway. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling. It was warmer here, and the hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers.

I did the opposite of what was expected of me; I tensed up, disliking the bright lights and wishing longingly for the dark shadows of the tunnels. Still, I walked on, towards the black shrouded figure at the end of the hall, standing by an elevator.

The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home.

Jane waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic.

Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders.

The elevator ride was short, and we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted a thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets.

In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I gave the woman behind it a mildly surprised glance.

She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She was very pretty, but not compared to everyone else in the room with her. Because she was every bit as human as the people celebrating above ground.

I tried to understand what this human woman was doing here, totally at ease, surrounded by vampires.

She smiled politely in welcome. "Good afternoon, Jane." There was no astonishment on her face as she glanced at Jane's company.

Jane nodded. "Gianna." She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed.

As Felix passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled.

On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception. The pale boy in the pearl gray suit was obviously Jane's twin, looking every bit as confident with his power to dull people's senses. What was his name again?

His hair was darker and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely, minus the whole red-eyes thing. He came forward to meet us, and he smiled, reaching for his sister. "Jane."

"Alec," she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides, while I repressed a shudder at the fact that this bloodsucker had the same name as my brother. Come to think of it, Alec the vampire's powers would be something that Alec my brother might want. Did that make me like Jane?

Alec the vampire looked at us. "They send you out for one and you come back with two... and two halves," he noted, looking at Simon and I. "Nice work."

I let out a small snarl, and he looked at me in surprise. I fingered my whip, wondering if I could get away with pulling off his head. These vampires could be put back together, so what would be the harm?

Before I could, Jane laughed, the sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing.

"Welcome back, Edward," Alec greeted him.

Edward didn't respond, his face hard.

Alec chuckled at his stubbornness, and examined me closely. "This is the cause of all the trouble?" he asked, skeptical.

"'This' happens to be standing right here and can hear every word you're saying, you know," I scoffed, glaring at him. "And yes, as a matter of fact."

A chuckle sounded from behind me, and Edward froze.

"Dibs," Felix called casually.

Edward turned, a low snarl building deep in his chest. Felix smiled and raised his hand, palm up, curling his fingers twice and inviting Edward forward.

"Patience," I cautioned Edward. "I can handle myself perfectly fine."

Not being able to restrain my anger from being _dibbed_ on, I turned to Felix, a fake smile plastered sweetly on my face.

"Now Felix," I scolded gently, "I'm not sure if, being a vampire, you were taught basic manners, so I'm going to do you a favor right here and now, and teach you." My smile melted off my face, replaced by a fierce glare. Felix, surprised at how deadly I looked, winced a little, while I pulled off my whip with a smooth flick and wrapped it around his feet, trapping him.

"Do you want to apologize and save some of your pride?" I asked innocently.

Felix, now regaining his composure, snorted. "As if _you _could do anything to me."

I smirked at the challenge. Shrugging, I yanked on my whip almost casually.

The bulky vampire flew off his feet, and slammed to the ground, his head banging a dent into the stone wall beside him. Without missing a beat, I grabbed one of his hands with my whip and tugged.

Felix's hand landed at my feet.

I had a sharp case of déjà vu, remembering how I had done the exact same to Edward.

Felix didn't make a sound, just lay there, astonished, as his hand reattached itself.

In a flash, he was up and lunging at me, but flinched back as I snapped my whip in his face.

"You really want to try me again?" I challenged, my voice calm and deadly.

Felix took a deep breath, humiliation burning in his eyes, then shook his head.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing he still wanted revenge, but turned anyways, aware of Jane and Alec the vampire's incredulous stares. I smirked and nodded at the hall behind them.

"Are we going or not? You won't want to keep your masters waiting." I put a little extra force on the word _your_, so that the vampires knew that Aro, Caius, and Marcus weren't _my_ masters.

"Very well," Jane nearly stuttered after a long pause, and turned, leading the way down yet another wide, ornate hall.

They ignored the doors at the end of the hall, doors entirely sheathed with gold, instead choosing to stop halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the paneling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked.

I stepped through and immediately met the gaze of Aro.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey. It's Kat. Nice to see you're still reading this insanely boring fanfic.**

**Wanna know why it's insanely boring? Because there is absolutely no hint of a dark theme. Everything's so... _vanilla._ Need I say that I hate vanilla things?**

**The flavor's okay, though.**

**Shout outs to anila, for that very encouraging and supportive review. **

**Enjoy.**

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Chapter 12

Aro didn't give me a second glance, eyes drifting away to look at Jane instead.

A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversations. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the walls.

I cringed at the unnaturalness of it all.

The faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the immortals were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts, things that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets. But Aro wore one of the long robes, pitch-black, brushing against the floor. His long, jet-black hair blended into the hood of his cloak.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" he cried in evident delight.

He drifted forward.

I grimaced as I saw his face. It was even more abnormal than the other faces around him, and that was saying something. I suppose the features were perfect, but his skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicate. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded, milky. I shivered in disgust.

He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly, and then floated back a step.

"Yes, Master," Jane replied, smiling. The expression made her look eerily like that annoying Seelie Queen who was always causing trouble for us Shadowhunters. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

"Ah, Jane, you are such a comfort to me," Aro sighed contentedly.

He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightened, becoming almost ecstatic.

"And Alice and Bella too!" he rejoiced, clapping his thin hands together. "This _is_ a happy surprise! Wonderful! And look what we have here," he added, examining Simon in a way that made me want to punch him, "have the Cullens adopted another pet human?"

"My name is not Bella," I growled. "My name is Isabelle Lightwood. This happens to be my boyfriend, Simon, and neither of us are _pets _of anyone."

The Volturi gasped in unison, probably surprised that a _human_ had dared to speak in Aro's presence without invitation, and in such a defiant manner too. I snorted internally. Like I was scared of some sparkling idiots.

Aro stared at me in shock, but quickly regained his composure. He appraised me with new eyes for a couple long moments, which made both Edward and Simon shift worriedly, but then looked away to our hulking escort. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

"Yes, Master." Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come.

Aro turned and smiled at us again.

"I want the whole story," he said, almost excitedly. "What is the cause for all this confusion? And why, dear Isabelle, does Edward seem to think that you once loved him when you act like you've never? Why would you pretend in the first place?"

I stared at him, in an almost disinterested sort of way, refusing to tell him anything.

Aro sighed. "Alice? What about you? What can you tell me?"

Alice raised her eyebrow. "What makes you think I know anything?"

Her tone wasn't exactly defiant, but more questioning.

"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"

Alice flickered a glance at Edward. Aro did not miss it.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday partially, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." He shook his head, his tone envious.

"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added dryly. He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

Alice cocked her head slightly, and Edward inclined his head.

Aro didn't miss that either.

"But to be able to hear from a distance..." Aro sighed, gesturing towards the two of them, and the exchange that had just taken place. "That would be so _convenient_. So wonderful!"

Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us.

Simon and I turned as well. Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, and one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hair, the same shade as his face instead of his robe, that brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin.

"Marcu, Caius, look!" Aro crooned. "Isabelle is here with her boyfriend, and Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?"

I decided that Aro must really like the word _wonderful_, while neither of the other two looked as if _wonderful_ would be their first choice of words. The dark-haired man seemed utterly bored, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm. The other's face was sour under the snowy hair.

But the lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment.

"Let us have the story," Aro almost sang in his feathery voice.

The white-haired ancient drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. The other vampire, the dark-haired one, paused beside Aro, and he reached his hand out, touched Aro's palm briefly, and then dropped his hand back down to his side. Aro raised one black brow, and I wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort.

Edward made a distressed sound, and Alice looked at him, concerned.

"Thank you, Marcus," Aro said. "That's quite interesting."

Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to join Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him- bodyguards, probably. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. The idea that just two vampires could stop any one Shadowhunter was laughable to me.

Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing," he breathed. "Absolutely amazing, yet so confusing at the same time."

Alice's expression was frustrated. Edward turned to her and explained again in a swift, low voice that he probably thought I couldn't hear, although I obviously could. "Marcus sees relationships and feelings. He surprised by how strongly I love Bella."

As he clearly thought I was _deaf_, he still called me by that ridiculous moniker.

"How many times do I have to tell you, bloodsucker?" I snapped at him quietly, even though I knew everyone in the room could hear. "My name is _Isabelle_, not _Bella._ Get it right."

Everyone looked at me in surprise.

I smiled sardonically. "What, did you perhaps think that the human didn't know how to speak?"

Aro's smile had become slightly strained. He spoke on, ignoring my interruption. "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."

I looked at Marcus's dead face, and believed it.

"It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Aro mused, staring at Edward and I. "How can you still love her so very dearly, when she clearly does not, and has not ever reciprocated it, and when she smells so temptingly delicious?"

Edward didn't reply, his face showing barely the slightest hint of the anguish he was certainly feeling.

Aro sighed. "Just remembering how she appeals to you, it makes me thirsty."

Edward tensed.

"Don't be so disturbed," Aro reassured him. "I mean her no harm. But I am _so_ curious, about one thing in particular." He eyed me again, this time with a bright interest. "May I?" he asked, lifting one hand eagerly.

"Ask _her,_" Edward suggested, tilting his head at me.

"Of course, how rude of me!" Aro exclaimed. "Isabelle," he addressed me directly now. I had a hunch about what he was going to ask. "I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent, as it's so very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try and see if you are an exception for _me_ as well?"

My hunch was right.

I hesitated for a moment, then raised my hand. "You can try," I offered, "but it won't work, I can guarantee you that."

Aro paused for a split second, just long enough for me to notice his hesitation, then took my hand in his. I repressed a shiver at the touch of his disgusting papery skin.

His face turned from confident, to doubtful, to incredulous, and for a brief second, angry and frustrated before finally calming into a friendly mask, but I wasn't fooled.

"So very interesting," he said as he released my hand and drifted back.

Simon was immediately at my side, his hand slipping into mine. I sensed Edward's jealousy and envy, but I paid no attention to him, so I was surprised, to say the least, at what he did next.

Edward let out a furious snarl.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Hello to you. I'll skip all the blabber and let you read on, simply because this chapter is long overdue. And no, I'm not making my excuses to you. It's my choice when to update. Or not. **

**You can keep reading now.**

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Chapter 13

Edward's furious snarl ripped through his throat. Simon instinctively shifted his stance so that he was standing between the two of us, although he knew as well as I did that I was the more experienced Shadowhunter.

"No," he growled, but he wasn't looking at me or Simon. Instead, his narrowed eyes were fixed on Aro.

Aro seemed unperturbed. He ignored Edward and turned, smiling pleasantly, to Jane, who smiled back innocently.

"I wonder, my dear one, if Isabelle is immune to you," he suggested, tilting his head.

Edward's snarls were deafening, and I could hardly hear Aro's words over the angry sounds coming from his throat. I rolled my eyes and shared an exasperated glance with Simon, as it seemed as if Edward would never learn that I wasn't a fragile little girl. Said vampire tried to move in front of me, like he was trying to block me from Jane, but Alice stopped him; I huffed in annoyance. One, I didn't need his protection - how many times did I have to prove it? Two, if Jane really wanted to use her talent on me, it wasn't like Edward standing in the way would do any difference. And three, her power wouldn't even harm me at all, so why did Edward have to be so bloody difficult?

Caius moved closer, his entourage of bodyguards trailing behind him. His eyes were cloudy, but I could still detect the faintest traces of hidden anticipation emanating from him.

Jane turned, finally moving her gaze away from Aro, and smiled angelically at the four of us visitors.

Alice just had time to yell out a frantic "Don't!" before Edward lunged at the little girl.

And then he was on the ground.

Nobody was touching him, but he writhed on the ground in agony, some unseen force torturing his brain. I shifted my gaze back up to Jane, an indifferent look on my face, but inside I was privately regarding the little girl with grudging respect. No wonder Felix and Demetri deferred to her so much.

Alice was tense, as if she was debating whether to leap at Jane or not. I touched her arm, and when she looked over at me, I shook my head warningly.

Simon stood there with a strange look on his face, one that I couldn't properly decipher, not fully. He looked as if it was anyone else on the ground, he would help them, but because it was the dumb vampire and he knew what Edward had done to me (or Bella, rather), he stayed where he was.

I squeezed Simon's hand, and he gave me a small smile in return.

"Jane," Aro warned mildly, like he didn't really care what happened to Edward either.

The small but obviously formidable girl glanced up at Aro, still smiling pleasantly, and I frowned inwardly. Even I wouldn't take that much delight in somebody else's evident pain, especially if it was someone I barely knew.

Aro inclined his head at me, and Jane swiveled her smile in my direction.

I smiled confidently, watching her in smug silence as her smile disappeared and a glare took its place when nothing happened, her jaw tensed as she focused intensely on me.

Edward had sprung up during this little occurrence, and his gaze switched between Jane and I constantly before he relaxed and moved back to Alice's side. His eyes searched me, looking for any signs of pain, but I ignored him completely.

Aro began to chortle. "This is wonderful!"

Jane let out a hiss of frustration, her upper lip curling back over her teeth like she was trying to intimidate me.

I stared back coolly, an icy smirk playing on my lips. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," I warned, my voice as sweet as honey but as sharp as razors. "Don't you remember what happened to poor Felix back in the hallway?"

Jane flinched a little, as if she had been poked with a needle. I raised an eyebrow, asking if she wanted to continue. Growling slightly, she straightened, still glaring at me.

"Jane," Aro called, and both she and I looked over to see an inquisitive look on his face, his hand outstretched towards her. Immediately Jane took it, and the two of them stood there for a moment, before Aro released her.

He shot me a confused glance, then focused back on Jane. "Don't be put out, dear one," he murmured. "She confounds us all."

My smirk only grew.

Aro turned back to us. "You're very brave, Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me once—just out of curiosity." He shook his head, admiring Jane's talent and Edward's bravery, I assumed.

Edward's face took on an expression of disgust.

Then Aro turned to Simon.

"And who are you exactly, to be so faithful to dear Isabelle here?" he wondered, cocking his head. "Your dedication astounds, really, following her into a nest of wild vampires, who you are probably so very terrified of right now!"

I snorted at the very idea, while Simon was slightly more discreet.

"Actually, I find the idea of sparkling bloodsuckers a bit laughable," Simon commented. "No offense." Never mind, not very discreet.

Aro's eyes widened minutely, and everyone in the room except for us two Shadowhunters stiffened in surprise. I stifled a laugh at their expressions, but slapped my boyfriend lightly on the arm. "Simon, be polite," I chided, but I didn't put a lot of force into my voice. To be honest, it _was_ quite funny seeing the looks on their faces.

"What?" Simon asked, pouting slightly. "Just telling the truth."

I rolled my eyes.

Aro had recovered his composure by the time we looked back at him, and he smiled politely at Simon. "Dear Simon, would you mind if I tried to take a look into your mind?"

"No problem," Simon remarked casually, causing more furrowed brows and incredulous expressions around the room. He let go of my hand reluctantly and moved forward, touching Aro's skin without hesitation.

Aro couldn't stifle his gasp of disbelief.

Simon drew back, a mildly smug grin on his face, and returned to me, taking my hand again. We shared a look of triumph as the vampires around us muttered among themselves.

"Jane?" Aro asked, not taking his gaze away from the two of us.

The little girl narrowed her eyes at Simon.

I looked over, and noticed a hopeful expression cross Edward's face, before it flittered away into disappointment as nothing happened to Simon. He flinched when he saw me glaring at him, and guilt spread across his face.

As it should. Stupid bloodsucker.

My attention was drawn back to Jane as she snarled, loud and clear, the sound ringing in the room as she crouched to spring at us.

Simon instantly released my hand and moved it to his hidden seraph blade, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. I shifted my hand to my whip, prepared to defend Simon's back if the vampires lunged at us.

"Jane," Aro cautioned.

The small figure growled one last time before straightening, albeit reluctantly. Her glare was a hundred times more intense than before as she expanded her gaze to include both Simon and I.

A quick survey of the room showed me that most, if not all of the vampires were regarding us with a mixture of fear, curiosity, and disbelief. Even Edward and Alice watched the two of us with wide eyes. Or at least, they watched Simon. I guessed they were used to the idea of me being immune, but not anyone else.

Aro turned to exchange a momentary glance with his brothers, before nodding slightly and looking back around at us.

His tone, when he spoke next, was filled with forced hospitality as he looked at us, barely veiling the interest in his eyes.

"So what do we do with you now?"


End file.
